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TEMPORAL THINGS" SPIRITUALISED, &c. 




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PREFACE. 



By ALEXANDER SMITH, 

AUTHOR OF " DREAMTHORP." ETC. 



IOHX BUNYAN has written his biography in 
Si brief in the sentence which opens (i The Pil- 
HB grirn's Progr^s^ — " As I walked through the 
wildernefs of this world, I lighted on a certain place where 
there was a den, and I laid me down in that place to 
sleep ; and as I slept, I dreamed a dream. 1 ' He dreamed 
his dream ; he told it in the moft childlike way ; and now 
the world will as soon forget Shakfpeare as it will forget 
him. He is the prince of dreamers, as Homer is the 
prince of poets. The scenery of his virion has become 
familiar as the scenery which surrounds our homes. We 



VI PREFACE. 

know the whole courfe of the journey — from the City of 
Deftru6tion to the Slough of Defpond 3 part the Houfe of 
the Interpreter 3 up Hill Difficulty 5 the meeting of 
Chriftian with the Maidens, Piety, Prudence, and Charity 3 
Christian's reft in the " large upper chamber whole win- 
dow opened toward the sun-riling," the name of which 
chamber was Peace 3 the journey down into the Valley 
of the Shadow of Death : the combat which took place 
there 3 Vanity Fair and the burning of Faithful 3 the im- 
prifonment of Hopeful and Chriftian by the Giant, and 
their efcape ; the Delectable Mountains, with the Golden 
City seen in the diftance shining like a star 3 the Land of 
Beulah 3 the paftage acrofs the dark river, with troops of 
angels, and melody of hymns and trumpets, waiting the 
pilgrims on the further bank 3- — all this every boy knows 
as he knows the way to school — with this every man is 
familiar as with his perfonal experience — and the curious 
thing is, that the incidents and the scenery which we accept 
with such belief are but the dark conceits and shadows of 
things 3 in all there is more than meets the eye. Under 
everything lies the moft solemn meanings. " The Pilgrim's 
Progrefs" is not only the moft enchanting story in the world, 
it is one of the belt manuals of theology. The boy devours 
it as he does " Robinfon Crufoe3" the devout man values 
it next to his Bible. As a story, it is full of the moft charm- 
ing, moft natural, sometimes moft terrible things. In the 
second part — which, compared with the firft, is as the 



PREFACE. VI I 

OdyfTey to the Iliad — what can be prettier than the boy 
sitting singing in the Valley of Humiliation with the herb 
Heart's Eafe in his boibm ? Read the right between 
Chriltian and Apollyon, and note the touch of imagina- 
tion — " In this combat no man can imagine,, unlets he 
had seen and heard as I did, what yelling and hideous 
roaring Apollyon made all the time of the fight— he spake 
like a dragon ; and, on the other side, what sighs and 
groans burfr. from Chriftian's heart. I never saw him all 
the while give so much as one plealant look, till he per- 
ceived he had wounded Apollyon with his two-edged 
sword ; then, indeed, he did smile and look upward ; but it 
was the dreadfullefl sight I ever saw." And after the 
pilgrims have paifed the river — " Juft as the gates were 
opened to let in the men, I looked in after them, and, be- 
hold, the city shone like the sun ; the streets alio were paved 
with gold, aiid in them walked many men with crowns 
on their heads, palms in their hands, and golden harps to 
sing praifes withal. There were alio of them that had 
wings, and they anfwered one another without inter- 
million, saying, ( Holy, holy, holy is the Lord.' And 
after that they shut the gates, which, when I had seen, I 
wiflied my f elf among them." How naive this laft con- 
feffion — the writer becoming enllaved by his own sorcery. 
Lord Macaulay has pointed out, in a memorable eifay, the 
refemblance that exifts between Bunyan and Spenier— 
the one nurtured from his childhood on chivalric story, a 



V 1 1 1 PREFACE. 

high Platonift, the friend of Sir Philip Sydney ; the other 
a Bedfordshire tinker, almoft uneducated, addicted in his 
early days to dancing, bell-ringing, and the swearing of 
strange oaths, at lair the wandering preacher of a defpifed 
sect. The men were curioufly unlike in some refpects, 
hut in point of genius they had much in common. 
Both were of "imagination all compact." To each 
every object was a mirror in which he saw something elfe. 
Both delighted in intricate allegories. Spenfer had more 
fancy, colour, mufic, and picturefquenels ; Bunyan more 
homelinels, interelt in common things, shrewdnels, 
humour, and mother wit. Spenfer is a good deal what 
Bunyan would have been had he come of a gentle stock 
in Elizabeth's reign, been educated at the universities, 
been the friend of the moil chivalric spirit that ever trod 
Englilh ground. Bunyan is a good deal what Spenfer 
would have been had he lived a tinker, gone through the 
tierce spiritual experiences defcribed in "Grace Abound- 
ing," settled finally into an itinerant Baptift preacher, and 
got a jail for twelve years to dream out his dream in. 
"The Fairy Queen" and "The Pilgrim's Progrels " are 
the two greater! allegorical works in our language \ and 
Bunyan has over Spenfer one confiderable advantage, 
in that, while no reader has been able to read through 
the poem, no reader before the clofe has been able to lay 
down the story. 

H any an" s ruling faculty was imagination, and he pof- 



PREFACE. IX 

felled it in perilous excels. In his " Grace Abounding " — 
certainly one of the molt curious and striking of autobio- 
graphical sketches — we see how it domineered over him, 
and made him for a time a dweller on the shores of 
Tophet. It brought all his paft sins before him — his 
dancing, his bell-ringing, his Sabbath-breaking, his pro- 
fane oaths — with more than their warranted terrors, and 
they dilturbed his quiet as the ghoft of Banquo dilturbed 
the quiet of Macbeth. And when contrition brought 
peace and a new mode of life, it created for him the De- 
lectable Mountains peopled with amiable shepherds j it 
made blaze for him the Celeltial City, and made audible 
the melodious voices of its inhabitants. When he secured 
spiritual peace, his prevailing mood of mind became a 
certain devout fancifulnefs, and his long confinement — 
for he wrote the greater proportion of his books in prifon 
— made the exercife of this fancifulnefs a more than ordi- 
nary relief. 

" When the body is up-mew'd, 
Then the fancy furthest flies." 

Bunyan dreamed his dream, and supported his own 
spirit ; he made tagged thread-laces and supported his 
wife and family, — and so the years wore on. He was a 
profoundly religious man 3 but when his religion had be- 
come habitual and terrorlefs, he handed it over to Fancy, that 
she might play with it. And jult as the ancient pagan 
heard Pan's pipe in the thicket, saw the hamadryad issue 



X PREFACE. 

from the tree "like mufic from an inftrument,'' caught 
in the fountain the momentary gleam of a naiad's limbs 
and face, he saw spiritual meanings in the afpects of ex- 
ternal nature and in the ongoings of domeflic life ; found 
something to pierce the confcience in the lark quivering in 
mid-air above its nefl ; and difcovered the illuflration of a 
doctrine in the pot simmering upon the cottage fire. In 
every material object he saw a spiritual similitude. He was 
a religious iEfop, with a fable for everything that might oc- 
cur. "The Pilgrim's Progrefs" is a long similitude, but in 
its courfe it contains many minor similitudes — as, for in- 
flance, in the objects shewn to Chriflian at the houfe of the 
Interpreter. This devout playfulnefs, with a conftant eye 
for the practical application 3 this sermonifing in difguife 5 
this mafquerading with a serious brow beneath the vizor, 
which is sure to be shewn at the proper time, is a mood 
in which Bunyan loved to indulge, and in which he is 
almofl always succefsful. In the prefent little book of 
"Divine Emblems" he gives free rein to his fantafy; he 
finds texts in the moll unlikely places, and from thefe 
texts he extracts the mofl unexpected sermons. He dis- 
plays art and ingenuity , and the meanings he deduces 
from the objects with which he works are for the mofl 
part pertinent and natural. There is a further charm in 
the book, in that it is written in verfe. Bunyan's mufe 
is clad in rufTet, wears shoes and stockings, has a country 
accent, and walks along the level Bedfordfhire roads. If 



PREFACE. XI 

as a poet he is homely and idiomatic, he is always natu- 
ral, straightforward, and sincere. His lines are unpoliihed, 
but they have pith and sinew, like the talk of a shrewd 
pealant. In the "Emblems" there are many touches of 
pure poetry, shewing that in his mind there was a vein of 
silver which, under favourable circumfiances, might have 
been worked to rich iiTues ; and everywhere there is an 
admirable homely pregnancy and fulnels of meaning. 
He has the strong thought, and the knack of the skilled 
workman to drive, by a single blow, the nail home to the 
head. 

In his Addrefs to the Reader, Bunyan, in a mood some- 
what satirical, explains his motive for taking the home- 
lier! objects and making them the emblems of divine 
things. He refolved to come as if in play to a volatile 
generation, that he might catch attention. Men and 
women are but children, he says — 

" And since at gravity they make a tush, 
My very beard I cast behind a bush ; 
And, like a fool, stand fingering of their toys. 
And all to shew they are but girls and boys." 

And in defence of the (i inconfiderablenefs of things" by 
which he expreffes his mind, he defends himfelf in this 
wife — 

" I could, were I so pleased, use higher strains, 
And, for applause, on tenters strain my brains ; 
But what needs that ? the arrow out of sight, 
Does n t the sleeper nor the watchman fright. 
To shoot too high doth make but children gaze, 
'Tis that which hits the man doth him amaze.'' 



Xll PREFACE. 

And he has fulfilled his purpofe, for not unfrequently he 
" hits " the very heart. 

All men know "The Holy War " and " The Pilgrim's 
Progreis,'' but the "Divine Emblems" have fallen out of 
human memory. This is a pity 5 and to the prefent pub- 
liihers it has seemed proper to produce a new edition, with 
all the quaint head and tail pieces of a unique edition 
long out of print, publifhed by W. Johniton, Ludgate 
Hill, in 1767. The book is as suitable for boys and girls 
as it was two hundred years ago — and boys and girls 
are readers now, which they were not in Bunyan's day. 
To boys and girls of all ages the " Divine Emblems " may 
be commended. In truth, this little book is as in some 
sort a pantomime 5 but devout fancy is the wand which 
rules the scenes, and at its stroke into divine truths and 
weighty morals the commonerl objects are transformed. 




TO THE READER. 



£T-^(*^C=: 



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OURTEOUS READER, 

The title-page will shew, if thou wilt 
look, 

What are the proper subjects of this 
book : 
They 're boys and girls, of all sorts and degrees, 
From thole of age, to children on the knees. 
Thus comprehenfive am I in my notions, 
They tempt me to it by their childiih motions. 
We now have boys with beards, and girls that be 
Huge as old women, wanting gravity. 
Then do not blame me, since I thus deicribe them, 
Flatter I may not, left thereby I bribe them 



XIV TO THE READER. 

To have a better judgment of themfelves, 
Than wife men have of babies on the shelves. 
Their antic tricks, fantafiic modes, and way, 
Shew they like very boys and girls do play 
With all the frantic fooleries of the age, 
And that in open view, as on a stage ; 
Our bearded men do act like beardlels boys, 
Our women pleafe themfelves with childifh toys. 
Our ministers long time by word and pen 
Dealt with them, counting them not boys, but men 
They shot their thunders at them and their toys, 
But hit them not, 'caufe they were girls and boys. 
The better charged, the wider still they shot, 
Or elfe so high, that dwarfs they touched not. 
Inflead of men, they found them girls and boys, 
To nought addicted but to childifh toys. 

Wherefore, dear reader, that I save them may, 
I now with them the very devil play. 
And since at gravity they make a turn, 
My very beard I caft behind a bulh ; 
And, like a fool, stand fingering of their toys, 
And all to shew they are but girls and boys. 

Nor do I blulh, although I think some may 
Call me a child, becaufe I with them play : 






TO THE READER. 

I aim to shew them how each tingle-fan gle 

On which they dote, does but their souls entangle, 

As with a web, a trap, a gin, a snare, 

And will deflroy them, have they not a care. 

Paul seem'd to play the fool, that he might gain, 
Thole that are fools indeed, if not in grain ; 
He did it by such things to let them see 
Their emptinefs, their sin and vanity : 
A noble aft, and full of honefty ! 
Nor he, nor I, would like them be in vice, 
But by their playthings I would them entice, 
That they might raife their thoughts from child iih toys 
To heaven, for that 's prepared for girls and boys. 
Nor would I so confine myfelf to thefe, 
As to shun graver things 5 but seek to pleafe 
Thofe more compofed with better things than toys, 
Though I would thus be catching girls and boys. 

Wherefore if men inclined are to look, 
Perhaps their graver fancies may be took 
With what is here, though but in homely rhymes : 
But he who pleafes all muft rife betimes. 
Some, I perfuade me, will be finding fault, 
Concluding, here I trip, and there I halt : 
No doubt, some could thofe grovelling notions raife 
By fme-fpun terms, that challenge might the bays. 



XVI TO THE READER. 

Should all be forced their brains to lay ahde, 

That cannot regulate the flowing tide 

By this or that man's fancy, we should have 

The wife unto the fool become a slave. 

What though my text seems mean, my morals be 

Grave, as if fetch' d from a sublimer tree. 

And if some better handle can a fly 

Than some a text, wherefore should we deny 

Their making proof, or good experiment, 

Of smaller! things great mischiefs to prevent ? 

Wife Solomon did fools to pifmires send 
To learn true wifdom, and their lives to mend. 
Yea, God by swallows, cuckoos, and the afs, 
Shews they are fools who let that seafon pafs, 
Which He put in their hand, that to obtain 
Which is both prefent and eternal gain. 

I think the wifer sort my rhyme may slight, 
While I perufe them, fools will take delight. 
Then what care I ? the fooliih, God has chofe ; 
And doth by foolifh things their minds compofe, 
And settle upon that which is divine \ 
Great things by little ones are made to shine. 

I could, were I so pleafed, use higher strains, 
And, for applaufe, on tenters strain my brains ; 



TO THE READER. XV11 

But what needs that ? the arrow out of sight, 
Does not the sleeper nor the watchman fright. 
To shoot too high doth make but children gaze, 
"Irs that which hits the man doth him amaze. 

As for the inconliderablenefs 
Of things, by which I do my mind exprefs, 
May I by them bring some good things to pals, 
As Samfon with the jaw-bone of an afs, 
Or as brave Shamgar with his ox's goad, 
(Both things unmanly, not for war in mode,) 
I have my end, though I myfelf expofe, 
For God will have the glory at the clofe. 

J. B. 




CONTENTS. 



-^>0^)Xf>>>r>- 



I. UPON THE BARREN FIG-TREE IX GODS 
VINEYARD, .... 

II. UPON THE LARK AND THE FOWLER, 

III. UPON THE VINE-TREE, 

IV. MEDITATIONS UPON AN EGG, 

V. OF FOWLS FLYING IN THE AIR, 

VI. UPON THE LORD'S PRAYER, 

VII. MEDITATIONS UPON THE PEEP OF DAY, 

VIII. UPON THE FLINT IN THE WATER, 

IX. UPON THE FISH IN THE WATER, . 



3 

5 

8 

io 

12 

ij 

16 

18 



XX 



CONTENTS. 



X. UPON THE SWALLOW, 
XI. UPON THE BEE, . 
XII. UPON A LOw'RING MORNING, 
XIII. UPON OVER-MUCH NICENESS, 
XIV. MEDITATIONS UPON A CANDLE, 
XV. UPON THE SACRAMENTS, 
XVI. UPON THE SUN'S REFLECTION UPON THE 
CLOUDS IN A FAIR MORNING, 
XVII. UPON APPAREL, ..... 
XVIII. THE SINNER AND THE SPIDER, 

XIX. MEDITATIONS UPON THE DAY BEFORE 
THE SUN-RISING, . 
XX. OF THE MOLE IN THE GROUND, 
XXI. OF THE CUCKOO, 
XXII. OF THE BOY AND BUTTERFLY, 
XXIII. OF THE FLY AT THE CANDLE, 
XXIV. ON THE RISING OF THE SUN, 
XXV. UPON THE PROMISING FRUITFULNESS OF 
A TREE, . 



PAGE 
20 

21 

22 
24 
26 
3° 

31 

32 

33 

43 
44 
46 
48 
5o 
52 

54 



CONTENTS. 



XXVI. UPON THE THIEF, 
XXVII. OF THE CHILD WITH THE BIRD ON THE 
BUSH, .... 
XXVIII. OF MOSES AND HIS WIFE, 
XXIX. OF THE ROSE-BUSH, 

XXX. OF THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN 
XXXI. UPON THE FROG, 
XXXII. UPON THE WHIPPING OF A TOP, 

XXXIII. UPON THE PISMIRE, 

XXXIV. UPON THE BEGGAR, 
XXXV. UPON THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER, 

XXXVI. UPON THE SIGHT OF A POUND OF 

CANDLES FALLING TO THE GROUND, 

XXXVII. UPON A PENNY LOAF, . 

XXXVIII. THE BOY AND WATCHMAKER, 

XXXIX. UPON A LOOKING-GLASS. 

XL. OF THE LOVE OF CHRIST, 

XLI. ON THE CACKLING OF A HEN, 

XLII. UPON AN HOUR-GLASS, 



56 



XX11 



CONTENTS. 



XLIII. UPON A SNAIL, .... 

XLIV. OF THE SPOUSE OF CHRIST, 

XLV. UPON A SKILFUL PLAYER ON AN INSTRU 
MENT, ..... 

XLVI. OF MAN BY NATURE, 

XLVII. UPON THE DISOBEDIENT CHILD, . 

XLVIII. UPON A SHEET OF WHITE PAPER, 

XLIX. UPON THE FIRE, .... 



PAGE 

90 
92 



95 
97 
98 

IOI 

103 




Bibinc (Emblems ; 



OR. 



TEMPORAL THINGS SPIRITUALISED, &c 




I. 

UPON THE BARREN FIG-TREE IN GOD'S VINEYARD. 




?y£E53! HAT barren here ! in this so good a soil : 
uVflfll The sight of this doth make God's heart 
mBal recoil 

From giving thee his blerling 3 barren tree, 
Bear fruit, or elfe thy end will curled be ! 

Art thou not planted by the water-side ? 
Know'fl not thy Lord by fruit is glorified ? 
The sentence is, Cut down the barren tree : 
Bear fruit, or elfe thy end will curled be ! 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 

Thou haft been digg'd about and dunged too, 
Will neither patience, nor yet drefling do ? 
The executioner is come, O tree, 
Bear fruit, or elfe thine end will curled be ! 

He that about thy root takes pains to dig, 
Would, if on thee were found but one good fig, 
Preferve thee from the axe : but, barren tree, 
Bear fruit, or elfe thy end will curled be ! 

The utmoft end of patience is at hand, 
"Tis much if thou much longer here doth stand. 
O cumber-ground, thou art a barren tree, 
Bear fruit, or elfe thy end will curfed be ! 

Thy standing, nor thy name, will help at all ; 
When fruitful trees are spared, thou muft fall. 
The axe is laid unto thy roots, O tree, 
Bear fruit, or elfe thy end will curfed be ! 




FOR YOUTH. 



II. 



UPON THE LARK AND THE FOWLER. 




E?53jH0U simple bird, what makes thee here to 

J i§f play r 

«a™%s«l Look, there s the fowler, pr ythee come awav. 
Doll not behold the net ? Look there 'tis spread, 
Venture a little further, thou art dead. 



Is there not room enough in all the held, 
For thee to play in, but thou needs mult yield 
To the deceitful glitt'ring of a glafs, 
Between nets placed, to bring thy death to pais ; 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 

Bird, if thou art so much for dazzling light, 
Look, there 's the sun above thee, dart upright 
Thy nature is to soar up to the sky, 
Why wilt thou then come down to the nets and die i 

Heed not the fowler's tempting flatt'ring call ; 
This whittle he enchanteth birds withal : 
What though thou see'fl a live bird in his net. 
She 's there, becaule from thence she cannot get. 

Look how he tempteth thee with his decoy, 
That he may rob thee of thy life, thy joy, 
Come, pr'ythee bird, I pr'ythee come away, 
Why shouldfl thou to this net become a prey ? 

Hadil thou not wings, or were thy feathers pull'd, 
Or wall thou blind, or fall afleep wert lull'd : 
The cafe would somewhat alter, but for thee, 
Thy eyes are ope', and thou hall wings to flee. 

Remember that thy song is in thy rise, 
Not in thy fall : earth 's not thy paradife. 
Keep up aloft then, let thy circuits be 
Above, where birds from fowlers' nets are free. 



FOR YOUTH. 



COMPARISON. 



This fowler is an emblem of the devil, 
His nets and whittle, figures of all evil. 
His glais an emblem is of sinful pleafure, 
Decoying such, who reckon sin a treaiure. 

The simple lark "s a shadow of a saint, 
Under allurings, ready now to faint. 
What you have read, a needful warning is, 
Design'd to shew the soul its share of blils, 
And how it may this fowler's net efcape, 
And not commit upon itfelf this rape. 




DIVINE EMBLEMS 



III. 
UPON THE VINE-TREE. 





I 1 HAT is the vine more than another tree ? 
Nay moft, than it, more tall, more comely be : 
What workman thence will take a beam or pin, 

To make out which may be delighted in ? 

Its excellency in its fruit doth lie : 

A fruitlefs vine, it is not worth a fly. 



COMPARISON. 



What are profeffors more than other men ? 
Nothing at all. Nay, there's not one in ten, 



FOR YOUTH. 



Either for wealth, or wit, that may compare 
In many things, with some that carnal are. 
Good then they are, when mortified their sin : 
But without that, they are not worth a pin. 




DIVINE EMBLEMS 



IV. 



MEDITATIONS UPON AN EGG, 




|HE egg 's no chick by falling from the hen ; 
II Nor man a Chriftian till he 's born again. 



The egg \s at firfl contained in the shell : 
Men, afore grace, in sins and darknefs dwell. 
The egg, when laid, by warmth is made a chicken, 
And Chrifl by grace the dead in sin does quicken. 
The chick at firft is in the shell confined ; 
So heav'n-born souls are in the nefh detain 1 d. 
The shell doth crack, the chick doth chirp and peep, 
The fleih decays, and men then pray and weep. 



FOR YOUTH. I 

The shell doth break, the chick "s at liberty, 
The fleih falls off, the soul mounts up on high. 
But both do not enjoy the self-same plight ; 
The soul is safe, the chick now fears the kite. 

But chicks from rotten eggs do not proceed ; 
Nor is a hypocrite a saint indeed. 
The rotten egg, though underneath the hen, 
If crack'd, stinks, and is loathfome unto men. 
Nor doth her warmth make what is rotten sound ; 
What "s rotten, rotten will at lafl be found. 
The hypocrite, sin has him in porTeinon, 
He is a rotten egg under profellion. 

Some eggs bring cockatrices ; and some men 
Some hatch' d and brooded in the viper's den. 
Some eggs bring wild-fowls ; and some men there be 
As wild as are the wilder! fowls that flee. 
Some eggs bring spiders ; and some men appear 
More venom'd than the worft of spiders are. 
Some eggs bring pifmires ; and some seem to me 
As much for trifles as the pifmires be. 
And thus do divers eggs from difFrent shapes, 
As like some men as monkeys are like apes. 
But this is but an egg, were it a chick, 
Here had been legs, and wings, and bones to pick. 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 



OF FOWLS FLYING IN THE AIR. 





ETHINKS I see a sight moil excellent, 
All sorts of birds fly in the firmament : 
I ;j| Some great, some small, all of a divers kind, 



Mine eye arlecting, pleafant to my mind. 
Look how they wing along the wholefome air, 
Above the world of worldlings, and their care. 
And as they divers are in bulk and hue, 
So are they in their way of flying too. 
So many birds, so many various things 
Swim in the element upon their wings. 



FOR YOUTH. 



COMPARISON. 



Theie birds are emblems of thole men, that shall 

Ere long poffefs the heavens, their all in all. 

They each are of a diffrent shape and kind ; 

To teach, we of all nations there shall find. 

They are some great, some little as we see, 

To shew some great, some small in glory be. 

Their flying diverlely, as we behold, 

Do shew saints' joys will there be manifold. 

Some glide, some mount, some flutter, and some do. 

In a mix'd way of flying, glory too. 

To shew that each shall to his full content, 

Be happy in that heav'nly Armament. 




M 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 



VI. 

UPON THE LORD'S PRAYER. 





j|UR Father which in heaven art, 
Thy name be always hallowed $ 
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done : 
Thy heavenly path be followed : 
By us on earth, as 'tis with thee, 

We humbly pray 5 
And let our bread to us be giv'n 
From day to day. 
Forgive our debts, as we forgive 
Thole that to us indebted are : 
Into temptation lead us not ; 

But save us from the wicked snare. 
The kingdom 's thine, the power too, 

We thee adore ; 
The glory alio shall be thine 
For evermore. 



FOR YOUTH. 



VII. 



MEDITATIONS UPON THE PEEP OF DAY. 





T peep of day I often cannot know 
Whether 'tis night, whether 'tis day or no. 
I fancy that I see a little light, 
But cannot yet diltinguiih day from night • 
I hope, I doubt, but certain yet I be not, 
I am not at a point, the sun I see not. 
Thus such, who are but juft of grace polfelt, 
They know not yet if they be curl! or blelt. 



i6 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 



VIII. 

UPON THE FLINT IN THE WATER. 




HIS flint, time out of mind has there abode, 
Where chryftal streams make their con- 
tinual road 5 
Yet it abides a flint as much as 'twere, 
Before it touch'd the water or came there. 



Its hardnefs is not in the leafl abated, 
'Tis not at all by water penetrated. 
Though water hath a soft'ning virtue in 't, 
It can't diflblve the stone, for 'tis a flint. 



FOR YOUTH. 



Yea, though in the water it doth still remain, 

Its fiery nature still it does retain. 

If you oppofe it with its oppofite, 

Then in your very face its fire 'twill spit. 



COMPARISON. 

This flint an emblem is of thole that lie, 
Under the word like stones, until they die. 
Its- cryftal streams have not their natures changed, 
They are not from their lufts by grace eftranged. 




iS 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 



IX. 



UPON THE FISH IN THE WATER. 




IE water is the fiih's element : 

Take her from thence, none can her death 
prevent, 

And some have said, who have tranfgreilbrs been, 
As good not be, as to be kept from sin. 



The water is the fiih's element ; 
Leave her but there, and she is well content. 
So s he, who in the path of life doth plod, 
Take all, says he, let me but have my God. 



FOR YOUTH. 



19 



The water is the fifh's element : 
Her sportings there to her are excellent 
So is God's service unto holy men, 
They are not in their element till then. 




DIVINE EMBLEMS 



X. 



UPON THE SWALLOW. 




HIS pretty bird, oh ! how she flies and sings ! 
But could she do so if she had not wings ? 
Her wings befpeak my faith, her songs my peace ; 



When I believe and sing, my doubtings ceafe. 



FOR YOUTH. 

XI. 

UPON THE BEE. 




HE bee goes out, and honey home doth bring ; 
And some who seek that honey find a sting ! 
Now wouldft thou have the honey, and be tree 
From stinging ; in the rirrt place kill the bee. 




COMPARISON. 



This bee an emblem truly is of sin, 
Whole sweet unto a many, death has been. 
Wouldft thou have sweet from sin, and yet not die, 
Sin in the firft place thou muft mortify. 



22 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 



XII. 



UPON A LOWERING MORNING. 





ELL, with the day I see the clouds appear • 
And mix the light with darkneis ev'ry where ; 
This threatens thofe who on long journeys go, 
That they shall meet the slabby rain or snow. 
Elfe while I gaze, the sun doth with his beams 
Belace the clouds, as 'twere with bloody streams ; 
Then suddenly thole clouds do wat'ry grow, 
And weep and pour their tears out where they go. 



FOR YOUTH. 



COMPARISON. 



Thus 'tis when gofpel light doth uilier in 
To us, both senfe of grace and senie of sin ; 
Yea, when it makes sin red with Jefus' blood, 
Then we can weep till weeping does us good. 




24 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 



XIII. 

UPON OVER-MUCH NICENESS. 





[S strange to see how over-nice are some 
About their clothes, their bodies, and their 
home : 



While what's of worth, they slightly pals it by, 
Not doing it at all, or slovenly. 

Their houles mull well furnilh'd be in print ; 
While their immortal soul has no good in.'t. 
Its outfide alfo they mull beautify, 
While there is in 't scarce common honefly. 



FOR YOUTH. 

Their bodies they mult have trick' d up and trim : 
Their infide full of filth up to the brim. 
Upon their clothes there muft not be a spot, 
Whereas their lives are but one common blot. 

How nice, how coy are some about their diet, 
That can their crying souls with hog's-meat quiet. 
All mult be dreft t' a hair, or elfe 'tis naught, 
While of the living bread they have no thought. 
Thus for their outfide they are clean and nice. 
While their poor infide stinks with sin and vice. 




26 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 



XIV. 
MEDITATIONS UPON A CANDLE. 





| AN 'S like a candle in a candleltick, 
Made up of tallow and a little wick ; 
IJaSMssH! For what the candle is, before "tis lighted, 
Juft such be they who are in sin benighted. 
Nor can a man his soul with grace infpire, 
More than the candles set themfelves on fire. 



C an dies receive their light from what they are not ; 
Men grace from Him, for whom at firft they care not. 
We manage candles when they take the fire ; 
God men, when He with grace doth them infpire. 



FOR YOUTH. 27 

And biggeil candles give the better light, 
As grace on biggeit sinners shines molt bright. 
The candle shines to make another see, 
A saint unto his neighbour light should be. 
The blinking candle we do much defpife, 
Saints dim of light are high in no man's eyes. 

Again, though it may seem to some a riddle, 
AVe uie to light our candle at the middle : 
True light doth at a candle's end appear, 
And grace the heart lirlt reaches by the ear ; 
But 'tis the wick the lire doth kindle on, 
As 'tis the heart that grace firil works upon. 
Thus both to fallen upon what 's the main, 
And so their life and vigour do maintain. 

The tallow makes the wick yield to the fire, 
And sinful tie ih doth make the soul defire 
That grace may kindle on it, in it burn ; 
So evil makes the soul from evil turn. 

But candies in the wind are apt to flare, 
And Chriilians in a tempeit to defpair. 
We see the flame with smoke attended is ; 
And in our holy lives there 's much amifs. 

Sometimes a thief will candle-light annoy : 
And hails do seek our graces to deitrov. 



28 DIVINE EMBLEMS 

What brackifh is will make a candle sputter ; 
'Tvvixt sin and grace there 's oft a heavy clutter. 
Sometimes the light burns dim, 'caufe of the snuff, 
And sometimes 'tis blown quite out with a puff: 
But watchfulnefs preventeth both thefe evils, 
Keeps candles light, and grace in spite of devils. 

But let not snuffs nor puffs make us to doubt $ 
Our candles may be lighted, though puff'd out. 
The candle in the night doth all excel, 
Nor sun, nor moon, nor stars, then shine so well, 
So is the Chriffian in our hemifphere, 
Whole light shews others how their courle to steer. 
When candles are put out, all 's in conmiion ; 
Where Chriftians are not, devils make intrusion. 
They then are happy who such candles have, 
All others dwell in darkneis and the grave. 
But candles that do blink within the socket, 
And saints whole eyes are always in their pocket, 
Are much alike ; such candles make us fumble ; 
And at such saints, good men and bad do stumble. 

Good candles don't offend, except sore eyes, 

Nor hurt, unlefs it be the silly flies : 

Thus none like burning candles in the night, 

Nor ought to holy living for delight. 

But let us draw towards the candle's end : 

The fire, you see, doth wick and tallow spend ; 



FOR YOUTH. 

As grace man's life, until his glafs is run, 
And so the candle and the man is done. 

The man now lays him down upon his bed ; 
The wick yields up its fire ; and so is dead. 
The candle now extinci is, but the man, 
By grace mounts up to glory, there to stand. 




3° 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 



XV. 

UPON THE SACRAMENTS 




VO sacraments I do believe there be, 

Even baptifm and the supper of the Lord 
Both myfteries divine, which do to me, 



By God's appointment, benefit afford : 
But shall they be my God, or shall I have 

Of them so foul and impious a thought, 
To think that from the curfe they can me save ? 

Bread, wine, nor water me no ranfom bought. 



FOR YOUTH. 



3 1 



XVI. 

UPON THE SUN'S REFLECTION UPON THE CLOUDS 
IN A FAIR MORNING. 




IjplFpiOOK yonder, ah! methinks mine eyes do see 
U ftfi&pi Clouds edged with silver, as fine garments be ! 
iR&ellsgi They look as if they saw the golden face 
That makes black clouds moll beautiful with grace. 
Unto the saints sweet incenfe of their prayer, 
Thefe smoky curl'd clouds I do compare. 
For as thefe clouds seem edged, or laced with gold, 
Their prayers return with bleffings manifold. 



3 2 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 



XVII. 

UPON APPAREL. 





OD gave us clothes to hide our nakednefs, 
And we by them do it expofe to view ; 
Our pride and unclean minds, to an excels, 
By our apparel we to others shew. 



FOR YOUTH. 

XVIII. 

THE SINNER AND THE SPIDER 





SINNER. 

HAT black, what ugly crawling thing art 
thou ? 



SPIDER. 



I am a spider 



SINNER. 

A spicier, ay 3 truly a filthy creature. 

SPIDER. 

Not filthy as thyielf in name or feature : 

C 



34 DIVINE EMBLEMS 

My name entailed is to my creation ; 

My features, from the God of thy salvation. 



SINNER. 

I am a man, and in God's image made, 
I have a soul shall neither die nor fade : 
God has porTefTed me with human reafon, 
Speak not againft me, left thou speakeft treafon ; 
For if I am the image of my Maker, 
Of slander laid on me He is partaker. 

SPIDER. 

I know thou art a creature far above me, 

Therefore I shun, I fear, and alio love thee. 

But though thy God hath made thee such a creature, 

Thou haft againft Him often play'd the traitor. 

Thy sin has fetch' d thee down : leave off to boaft ; 

Nature thou haft defiled, God's image loft, 

Yea, thou thyfelf a very beaft haft made, 

And art become like grafs, which soon doth fade. 

Thy soul, thy reafon, yea, thy spotlefs state, 

Sin has subjected to th' molt dreadful fate. 

But I retain my primitive condition, 

I 've all but what I loft by thy ambition. 

SINNER. 

Thou venom' d thing, I know not what to call thee ; 
The dregs of nature surely did befall thee ; 



FOR YOUTH. 35 

Thou waft compofed o' th' drofs and scum of all, 
Men hate thee, and, in scorn, thee Spider call. 



SPIDER. 

My venom \s good for something, since God 

made it ; 
Thy nature sin hath spoil' d, and doth degrade it. 
Thou art defpoil'd of good : and though I fear thee, 
I will not, though I might, defpife and jeer thee. 
Thou say'ft I am the very dregs of nature, 
Thy sin 's the spawn of devils, 'tis no creature. 
Thou say'ft man hates me, 'caufe I am a spider. 
Poor man, thou at thy God art a derider : 
My venom tendeth to my prefervation ; 
Thy pleafing follies work out thy damnation. 
Poor man, I keep the rules of my creation, 
Thy sin has caft thee headlong from thy station. 
I hurt nobody willingly 3 but thou 
Art a self-murderer : thou know' ft not how 
To do what 's good 3 no, for thou loveft evil : 
Thou fly'ft God's law, adhereft to the devil. 



Thou ill-shaped thing, there 's an antipathy 
'Twixt man and spiders, 'tis in vain to lie ; 
Stand off, I hate thee — if thou doft come nigh me, 
I '11 crufh thee with my foot 5 I do defy thee. 



$6 DIVINE EMBLEMS 



SPIDER. 

They are ill-shaped who warped are by sin, 

Hatred in thee to God hath long time been ; 

No marvel then indeed, if me, His creature, 

Thou dofi: defy, pretending name and feature. 

But. why stand off? My presence shall not throng thee, 

'Tis not my venom, but thy sin doth wrong thee. 

Come, I will teach thee wisdom, do but hear me, 

I was made for thy profit, do not fear me. 

But if thy God thou wilt not hearken to, 

What can the swallow, ant, and spider do ? 

Yet I will speak, I can but be rejected, 

Sometimes great things by small means are effected. 

Hark, then, though man is noble by creation, 
He \s lapfed now to such degeneration 
As not to grieve, so carelefs he is grown, 
Though he himielf has sadly overthrown, 
And brought to bondage every earthly thing, 
Ev'n from the very spider to the king : 
This we poor senfitives do feel and see ; 
For subject to the curfe you made us be. 
Tread not upon me, neither from me go ; 
'Tis man who has brought all the world to woe. 

The law of my creation bids me teach thee ; 
I will not for thy pride to God impeach thee. 



FOR YOUTH. 37 

I spin, I weave, and all to let thee see 
Thy befl: performances but cobwebs be. 
Thy glory now is brought to such an ebb, 
It doth not much excel the spider's web. 
My webs becoming snares and traps for flies, 
Do set the wiles of hell before thine eyes ; 
Their tangling nature is to let thee see 
Thy sins, too, of a tangling nature be ; 
My den, or hole, for that 'tis bottomlefs, 
Doth of damnation shew the lastingnels. 
My lying quiet till the fly is catch' d, 
Shews secretly hell hath thy ruin hatch' d. 
In that I on her seize, when she is taken, 
I shew who gathers, whom God hath foriaken. 
The fly lies buzzing in my web, to tell 
How finners always roar and howl in hell. 

Now fince I shew thee all theie myfteries., 
How canfi: thou hate me, or me scandalife ? 

SINNER. 

Well, well, I will no more be a derider, 
I did not look for such things from a spider. 

SPIDER. 

Come, hold thy peace, what I have yet to say, 

If heeded, may help thee another day. 

Since I an ugly ven'mous creature be, 

There 's some refemblance 'twixt vile man and me. 



38 DIVINE EMBLEMS 

My wild and heedlefs runnings are like thole 
Whole ways to ruin do their souls expole. 
Daylight is not my time, I work i' th' night, 
To shew they are like me who hate the light. 
The maid sweeps one web down, I make another, 
To shew how heedlefs ones convictions smother. 
My web is no defence at all to me, 
Nor will falfe hopes at judgment be to thee. 

SINNER. 

spider, I have heard thee, and do wonder 

A spider should thus lighten and thus thunder ! 

SPIDER. 

Do but hold still, and I will let thee see, 
Yet in my ways more myfteries there be. 
Shall not I do thee good, if I thee tell, 

1 shew to thee a four-fold way to hell ? 
For since I set my web in sundry places, 
I shew men go to hell in divers traces. 

One I set in the window, that I might 

Shew some go down to hell with gofpel-light. 

One I set in a corner, as you see, 

To shew how some in secret snared be. 

Grots webs great store I set in darkfome places, 

To shew how many sin with brazen faces. 

Another web I set aloft on high, 

To shew there 's some profelling men mull die. 



FOR YOUTH. 39 

Thus in my ways, God's wifdom doth conceal ; 
And by my ways that wifdom doth reveal. 

I hide myself when I for flies do wait, 

So doth the devil when he lays his bait ; 

If I do fear the lohng of my prey, 

I stir me, and more snares upon her lay. 

This way, and that, her wings and legs I tie, 

That sure as she is catch' d, so she mull die. 

But if I see she 's like to get away, 

Then with my venom I her journey stay. 

All which my ways the devil imitates, 

To catch men, 'caufe he their salvation hates. 

SINNER. 

spider, thou delight'ft me with thy skill, 

1 pr'ythee spit this venom at me still. 



I am a spider, yet I can poifefs 

The palace of a king, where happinefs 

So much abounds. Nor when I do go thither, 

Do they afk what, or whence I come, or whither 

I make my hafty travels ; no, not they : 

They let me pafs, and I go on my way. 

I seize the palace, do with hands take hold 

Of doors, of locks, or bolts ; yet I am bold, 

When in, to clamber up unto the throne, 

And to poflefs it, as if 'twere my own. 



4-0 DIVINE EMBLEMS 

Nor is there any law forbidding me 
Here to abide,, or in this palace be. 

At pleafure I afcend the higher! stories, 
And there I sit, and so behold the glories 
Myfelf is compafTd with, as if I were 
One of the chiefeft courtiers that be there. 

Here lords and ladies do come round about me, 
With grave demeanour, nor do any flout me 
For this my brave adventure, no, not they 5 
They come, they go, but leave me there to stay. 

Now, my reproacher, I do by all this 

Shew how thou may ft poifefs thyfelf of blifs : 

Thou art worfe than a spider, but take hold 

On Chrift the door, thou shalt not be controll'd : 

By Him do thou the heavenly palace enter ; 

None e'er will chide thee for thy brave adventure. 

Approach thou then unto the very throne, 

There speak thy mind ; fear not, the day \s thine 

own. 
Nor saint, nor angel, will thee stop or stay, 
But rather tumble blocks out of the way. 
My venom stops not me ; let not thy vice 
Stop thee ; poiTeis thyfelf of paradife. 

Go on, I say, although thou be a sinner, 
Learn to be bold in faith, of me a spinner. 



FOR YOUTH. 41 

This is the way true glories to porTeis, 
And to enjoy what no man can expreis. 

Sometimes I rind the palace-door up-lock'd, 
And so my entrance thither has up-block'd. 
But am I daunted ? No, I here and there 
Do feel, and search 5 and so if anywhere, 
At any chink or crevice find my way, 
I crowd, I prefs for paifage, make no stay : 
And so through difficulty I attain 
The palace, yea, the throne, where princes reign. 
I crowd sometimes, as if I 'd burrt in sunder ; 
And art thou cruhYd with striving, do not wonder. 
Some scarce get in, and yet indeed they enter : 
Knock, for they nothing have that nothing 
venture. 

Nor will the king himielf throw dirt on thee, 
As thou halt cart reproaches upon me. 
He will not hate thee, O thou foul backslider ! 
As thou didft me, becaufe I am a spider. 
Now, to conclude : since I much doctrine bring, 
Slight me no more, call me not ugly thing 5 
God wifdom hath unto the pifmire given, 
And spiders may teach men the way to heaven. 

SIXXER. 

Well, my good spider, I my errors see, 
I was a fool for railing so at thee. 



42 DIVINE EMBLEMS 

Thy nature, venom, and thy fearful hue, 

But shew what sinners are, and what they do. 

Thy way and works do alfo darkly tell 

How some men go to heaven, and some to hell. 

Thou art my monitor, I am a fool ; 

They may learn, that to spiders go to school. 




FOR YOUTH. 



43 



XIX. 

MEDITATIONS UPON THE DAY BEFORE THE 
SUN-RISING. 




jjUT all this while, where 's he whofe golden rays 
Drives night away, and beautifies our days ? 
Where 's he whofe goodly face doth warm and 
heal, 
And shew us what the darkfome nights conceal ? 
Where 's he that thaws our ice, drives cold away ? 
Let \s have him, or we care not for the day. 

Thus 'tis with thofe who are pofTefT'd of grace, 
There \s nought to them like their Redeemers face. 



44 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 



XX. 



OF THE MOLE IN THE GROUND. 





HE Mole 's a creature very smooth and slick, 
She digs V th' dirt, but 'twill not on her stick. 
So 's he who counts this world his greater! 
gains, 
Yet nothing gets but labour for his pains. 
Earth 's the Mole's element, she can't abide 
To be above ground, dirt-heaps are her pride ; 
And he is like her, who the worldling plays, 
He imitates her in her works and ways. 



FOR YOUTH. 



40 



Poor silly Mole, that thou shouldft love to be 
Where thou, nor sun, nor moon, nor stars canlt see. 
But oh ! how silly 's he, who doth not care 
So he gets earth, to have of heaven a share ! 




5r^> 



46 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 



XXI. 

OF THE CUCKOO. 





|HOU booby, say'ft thou nothing but Cuckoo 1 
The Robin and the Wren can thee out- do. 
They to us play through their little throats, 
Not one, but sundry pretty tuneful notes. 
But thou hall fellows, some like thee can do 
Little but suck our eggs, and sing Cuckoo. 

Thy notes do not firil welcome in our spring, 
Nor doft its flrft tokens to us bring. 
Birds less than thee by far, like prophets, do 
Tell us 'tis coming, though not by Cuckoo. 



FOR YOUTH. 47 

Xor dofl thou summer have away with thee, 
Though thou a yawling, bawling Cuckoo be. 
When thou dolt ceafe among us to appear, 
Then doth our harvelt bravely crown our year. 
But thou halt fellows, some like thee can do 
Little but suck our eggs, and sing Cuckoo. 

Since Cuckoos forward not our early spring, 
Nor help with notes to bring our harvefl in : 
And since, while here,, she only makes a noife, 
So pleafing unto none as girls and boys. 
The Formalill we may compare her to, 
For he doth suck our eggs, and sing Cuckoo. 




4 8 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 



XXII. 
OF THE BOY AND BUTTERFLY. 







EHOLD, how eager this our little boy 

Is for a butterfly, as if all joy, 

All profits, honours, yea, and lafting pleafures, 
Were wrapt up in her, or the richer! treafures 
Found in her would be bundled up together, 
When all her all is lighter than a feather. 

He halloos, runs, and cries out, Here, boys, here ! 
Nor doth he brambles or the nettles fear : 
He stumbles at the mole-hills, up he gets, 
And runs again, as one bereft of wits ; 



FOR YOUTH. 49 



And all his labour and his large outcry 
Is only for a silly butterfly. 



COMPARISON. 

This little boy an emblem is of thole 

Whofe hearts are wholly at the world' s difpofe. 

The butterfly doth reprefent to me 

The world's beft things at belt but fading be. 

All are but painted nothings and falfe joys, 

Like this poor butterfly to thefe our boys. 

His running through nettles, thorns, and briers, 

To gratify his boyilli fond defires, 

His tumbling over mole-hills to attain 

His end, namely, his butterfly to gain -, 

Doth plainly shew what hazards some men run 

To get what will be loll as soon as won. 

Men seem in choice, than children far more wife, 

Becaufe they run not after butterflies : 

When yet, alas ! for what are empty toys, 

They follow children, like to beardlefs boys. 




5° 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 



XXIII. 

OF THE FLY AT THE CANDLE. 





i HAT ails this fly,, thus defperately to enter 
A combat with the candle ? Will she venture 
To catch at light ? Away, thou silly fly ; 
Thus doing, thou wilt burn thy wings and die. 

But 'tis a folly her advice to give, 
She '11 kill the candle, or she will not live. 
Slap, says she, at it ; then she makes retreat, 
So wheels about, and doth her blows repeat. 



FOR YOUTH. 5 I 

Nor doth the candle let her quite efcape, 
But gives some little check unto the ape ; 
Throws up her nimble heels, and down she falls, 
Where she lies sprawling, and for succour calls. 

When she recovers, up she gets again, 
And at the candle comes with might and main. 
But now behold, the candle takes the fly, 
And holds her, till she doth by burning die. 



COMPARISON. 

This candle is an emblem of that light 
Our gofpel gives in this our darksome night. 
The fly a lively picture is of those 
That hate, and do this gofpel-light oppofe. 
At laft the gofpel doth become their snare, 
Doth them with burning hands in pieces tear. 




52 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 



XXIV. 

ON THE RISING OF THE SUN. 





| OOK, look, brave Sol doth peep up from beneath, 
Shews us his golden face, doth on us breathe 5 
Yea, he doth compafs us around with glories, 
Whilfl he afcends up to his higheft stories. 
Where he his banner over us difplays, 
And gives us light to see our works and ways. 

Nor are we now as at the peep of light, 
To queftion, is it day, or is it night ? 



FOR YOUTH. 53 

The night is gone, the shadow 's fled away, 
And now we are moft certain that 'tis day. 

And thus it is when Jesus shews His face, 
And doth assure us of His love and grace. 




54 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 



XXV. 

UPON THE PROMISING FRUITFULNESS OF A TREE. 





COMELY sight indeed it is to see 
A world of blofTorns on an apple-tree : 
Yet far more comely would this tree appear, 
If all its dainty blooms young apples were. 
But how much more might one upon it see, 
If all would hang there till they ripe should be. 
But moll of all in beauty 'twould abound, 
If every one should then be truly sound. 
But we, alas ! do commonly behold 
Blooms fall apace, if mornings be but cold ; 



FOR YOUTH. 



DD 



They, too, which hang till they young apples are, 
By blafting winds, and vermin take defpair ; 
Store that do hang, while almofi ripe we see 
By bluff ring winds are shaken from the tree. 
So that of many only some there be 
That grow and thrive to full maturity. 



COMPARISON. 

This tree a perfect emblem is of thofe 
Who do the garden of the Lord compofe. 
Its blalted blooms are motions unto good, 
Which chill affections do nip in the bud. 

Thofe little apples which yet blafted are, 
Shew some good purpofes no good fruits bear. 
Thofe spoil' d by vermin are to let us see 
How good attempts by bad thoughts ruin'd be. 

Thofe which the wind blows down while they are green, 
Shew good works have by trials spoiled been. 
Thofe that abide, while ripe upon the tree, 
Shew in a good man some ripe fruit will be. 

Behold, then, how abortive some fruits are, 
Which at the firfl moft promifing doth appear. 
The froft, the wind, the worm, with time doth shew, 
There flow from much appearance works but few. 



56 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 



XXVI. 

UPON THE THIEF. 




I HE thief when he doth steal thinks he doth gain ; 
Yet then the greateft lofs he doth suftain. 
Come, thief, tell me thy gain, but do not falter, 
When summ'd, what comes it to more than the halter? 



Perhaps, thou 'It say, The halter I defy ; 

So thou mayft say, yet by the halter die. 

Thou 'It say, Then there 's an end 3 no, pr'ythee, hold, 

He was no friend of thine that thee so told. 



FOR YOUTH. 57 

Hear thou the word of God, that will thee tell, 
Without repentance, thieves mult go to hell. 
But should it be as thy falfe prophet says, 
Yet naught but lofs doth come by thievifh ways. 

All honeft men will flee thy company, 
Thou liv'ft a rogue, and so a rogue will die. 
Innocent boldnefs thou haft none at all, 
Thy inward thoughts do thee a villain call. 

Sometimes when thou ly'ft warmly on thy bed 
Thou art like one unto the gallows led. 
Fear, as a conftable, breaks in upon thee — 
Thou art as if the town were up to stone thee. 

If hogs do grunt, or silly rats do ruftle, 
Thou art in confternation, think'ft a buftle 
By men about the door is made to take thee : 
And all becaufe good confcience doth forfake thee. 

Thy case is so deplorable and bad, 

Thou shun'ft to think on't, left thou shouldft be mad : 

Thou art befet with mischiefs every way. 

The gallows groaneth for thee every day. 

Wherefore, I pr'ythee, thief, thy theft forbear, 
Confult thy safety, pr'ythee, have a care. 
If once thy head be got within the noofe, 
'Twill be too late a longer life to choofe. 



58 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 



As to the penitent thou readefl of, 
What 's that to them who at repentance scoff. 
Nor is that grace at thy command or pow'r, 
That thou shouldil put it off till the laft hour. 
I pr'ythee, thief, think on't, and turn betime : 
Few go to life who do the gallows climb. 




FOR YOUTH. 



59 



XXVII. 

OF THE CHILD WITH THE BIRD ON THE BUSH. 




Y little bird, how canft thou sit 

And sing amidft so many thorns ? 
Let me but hold upon thee get, 
My love with honour thee adorns. 



Thou art at prefent little worth ; 

Five farthings none will give for thee. 
But, pr'ythee, little bird, come forth, 

Thou of more value art to me. 



60 DIVINE EMBLEMS 

Tis true it is sunfhine to-day, 
To-morrow birds will have a storm ; 

My pretty one, come thou away, 

My bosom then shall keep thee warm. 

Thou subject art to cold o' nights, 
When darknefs is thy covering ; 

By day thy danger 's great by kites, 

How canft thou then sit there and sing ? 

Thy food is scarce and scanty too, 

'Tis worms and train which thou doll eat ; 

Thy prefent state I pity do, 

Come, I '11 provide thee better meat. 

I '11 feed thee with white bread and milk, 
And sugar-plums, if thou them crave ; 

I '11 cover thee with fineft silk, 

That from the cold I may thee save. 

My father's palace shall be thine, 
Yea, in it thou shalt sit and sing $ 

My little bird, if thou 'It be mine, 

The whole year round should be thy spring. 

I '11 teach thee all the notes at court 5 
Unthought of music thou shalt play : 

And all that thither do refort 

Shall praife thee for it every day. 



FOR YOUTH. 6 1 

1 11 keep thee safe from cat and cur, 

Xo manner o' harm shall come to thee : 

Yea, I will be thy succourer, 
My bofom shall thy cabin be. 

But lo, behold, the bird is gone ; 

Thefe charmings would not make her yield : 
The child 's left at the bush alone, 

The bird flies yonder o'er the field. 



COMPARISON. 



This child of Chrift. an emblem is 5 
This bird to sinners I compare : 

The thorns are like thofe sins of his 
Which do surround him everywhere. 

Her songs, her food, and sunlriine day, 
Are emblems of thofe foolish toys 

Which to deftruction lead the way, 
The fruit of worldly, empty joys. 

The arguments this child doth choofe 
To draw to him a bird thus wild, 

Shews Chrift familiar speech doth use 
To make him to be reconciled. 



62 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 



The bird, in that she takes her wing- 
To speed her from Him after all, 

Shews us vain man loves anything 
Much better than the heavenly call. 




FOR YOUTH. 



63 



XXVIII. 

OF MOSES AND HIS WIFE. 





HIS Moles was a fair and comely man ; 

His wife a swarthy ^Ethiopian : 

Nor did his milk-white bosom change her skin, 
She came out thence as black as she went in. 
Now Moles was a type of Moles' law, 
His wife likewile of one that never saw 
Another way unto eternal life ; 
There 's myiVry, then, in Moles and his wife. 

The law is very holy, jult, and good, 
And to it is efpouled all nelh and blood : 



64 DIVINE EMBLEMS 

But yet the law its goodnefs can't bellow 
On any that are wedded thereunto. 

Therefore as Mofes' wife came swarthy in, 
And went out from him without change of skin 
So he that doth the law for life adore, 
Shall yet by it be left a black-a-moor. 




FOR YOUTH. 



65 



XXIX. 

OF THE ROSE-BUSH. 





jHIS homely buih doth to mine eyes expoie 
A very fair, yea, comely, ruddy role. 
fifil This role doth always bow its head to me, 
Saying, Come, pluck me, I thy role will be ; 
Yet offer I to gather role or bud, 
Ten to one but the buih will have my blood. 

This looks like a trepan or a decoy, 
To offer, and yet snap, who would enjoy ; 
Yea, the more eager on 't, the more in danger, 
Be he the mailer of it or a stranger. 

E 



66 DIVINE EMBLEMS 

Bulh, why dofi: bear a rofe if none mult have it ? 
Why dofl expofe it, yet claw thofe that crave it r 
Art become freakiih ? Dofl the wanton play, 
Or doth thy tefty humour tend this way ? 



COMPARISON. 

This role God's Son is, with His ruddy looks : 

But what 's the bulh ? whole pricks, like tenter-hooks, 

Do scratch and claw the nnefl lady's hands, 

Or rend her clothes, if she too near it stands. 

This bulh an emblem is of Adam's race, 

Of which Chrilt came, when He His Father's grace 

Commended to us in His crimibn blood, 

While He in sinners' stead and nature stood. 

Thus Adam's race did bear this dainty rose, 
And doth the same to Adam's race expofe. 
But thofe of Adam's race which at it catch, 
Them will the race of Adam claw and scratch. 




FOR YOUTH. 



67 



XXX. 

OF THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN. 





I3JHAT, halt thou run thy race, art going down ? 
Why, as one angry, dolt thou on us frown ? 
Why wrap thy head with clouds, and hide tin- 
face, 
As threat' ning to withdraw from us thy grace ? 

Oh, leave us not ! when once thou hidft thy head, 
Our horizon with darknefs will be spread. 
Tell, who hath thee offended, turn again : 
Alas ! too late, entreaties are in vain ! 



68 DIVINE EMBLEMS 



COMPARISON. 



The gofpel here has had a summer's day, 
But in its sunfhine we, like fools, did play ; 
Or elfe fall out, and with each other wrangle, 
And did, inftead of work, not much but jangle. 

And if our sun seems angry, hides his face, 
Shall it go down, shall night poffefs this place ? 
Let not the voice of night-birds us afflict, 
And of our mif-fpent summer us convift. 




FOR YOUTH. 



6 9 



XXXI. 

UPON THE FROG. 





ggg^ajjiitf 












.- 



HE frog by nature is both damp and cold, 
Her mouth is large, her belly much will hold ; 
She sits somewhat attending, loves to be 



Croaking in gardens, though unpleafantly. 



COMPARISON. 



The hypocrite is like unto this Frog ; 
As like as is the puppy to the dog. 



70 DIVINE EMBLEMS 

He is of nature cold, his mouth is wide 

To prate, and at true goodnefs to deride. 

And though the world is that which has his love, 

He mounts his head, as if he lived above. 

And though he seeks in churches for to croak, 

He neither seeketh Jefus nor His yoke. 




FOR YOUTH. 



71 



XXXII. 

UPON THE WHIPPING OF A TOP. 





IS with the whip the boy sets up the top, 

The whip does make it whirl upon its toe : 
Hither and thither makes it skip and hop : 
'Tis with the whip the top is made to go. 



COMPARISON. 

Our legalift is like this nimble top, 
Without a whip he will not dutv do. 

Let Mofes whip him, he will skip and hop ; 
Forbear to whip, he '11 neither stand nor go. 



72 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 



XXXIII. 
UPON THE PISMIRE. 





UST we upon the Pismire go to school, 
To learn of her in summer to provide 
For winter next ensuing ; man 's a fool, 
Or silly ants would not be made his guide. 
But, sluggard, is it not a shame for thee 

To be outdone by pifmires ? Pr'ythee, hear : 
Their works, too, will thy condemnation be, 

When at the judgment-seat thou shalt appear. 
But since thy God doth bid thee to her go, 

Obey, her ways consider, and be wife : 
The Pifmires will inform thee what to do, 
And set the way to life before thine eyes. 



FOR YOUTH. 



73 



XXXIV. 
UPON THE BEGGAR. 





IE wants, he asks, he pleads his poverty, 
They within doors do him an alms deny. 
He doth repeat and aggravate his grief ; 
But they repulie him, give him no relief. 

He begs, they say, Begone : he will not hear, 
He coughs and sighs, to shew he still is there ; 
They disregard him, he repeats his groans ; 
They still say nay, and he himself bemoans. 
They call him vagrant, and more rugged grow ; 
He cries the shriller j trumpets out his woe. 



74 DIVINE EMBLEMS 

At lafl, when they perceive he '11 take no nay, 
An alms they give him without more delay. 



COMPARISON. 

The beggar doth resemble them that pray 
To God for mercy, and will take no nay : 
But wait, and count that all his hard gainfays 
Are nothing elfe but fatherly delays : 
Then imitate him, praying souls, and cry, 
There 's nothing like to importunity. 



FOR YOUTH. 



75 



XXXV. 
UPON THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 





HERE 'S one rides very sagely on the road : 
Shewing that he affects the graveil mode : 
Another rides tantivy, or full trot, 
To shew such gravity he matters not. 

Lo ! here comes one amain, he rides full speed, 
Hedge, ditch, or miry bog, he doth not heed. 
One claws it up-hill, without stop or check, 
Another down, as if he'd break his neck. 
Now every horse has his efpecial guider : 
Then by his going you may know the rider. 



76 DIVINE EMBLEMS 



COMPARISON. 



Now let us turn our horfe into the man, 
The rider to a spirit, if we can : 
Then let us, by the methods of the guider, 
Tell every horfe how he should know his rider. 

Some go as men direct, in a right way, 
Nor are they surfer' d e'er to go aftray : 
As with a bridle they are govern' d well, 
And so are kept from paths that lead to hell. 

Now this good man has his efpecial guider : 
Then by his going, let him know his rider. 

Another goes as if he did not care, 
Whether of heaven or hell he should be heir. 
The rein, it seems, is laid upon his neck, 
And he pursues his way without a check. 

Now this man, too, has his efpecial guider, 
And by his going he may know his rider. 

Again, some run as if refolved to die, 

Body and soul to all eternity. 

Good counfel they by no means can abide 3 

They '11 have their courfe, whatever them betide. 



FOR YOUTH. 77 

Now theie poor men have their eipecial guider, 

Were they not fools, they soon might know their rider. 

There Y one makes head again!! all godlineis, 
Thofe, too, that do profeis it he "11 diftrefs : 
He '11 taunt and flout if goodneis doth appear ; 
And thole that love it he will mock and jeer. 

Xow this man, too, has his eipecial guider ; 
And bv his g-oinsr he may know his rider. 




7S 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 



XXXVI. 

UPON THE SIGHT OF A POUND OF CANDLES 
FALLING TO THE GROUND. 




JUT are the candles down, and scatter' d too, 
Some lying here, some there ? What shall we 
do ? 



Hold, light the candle there that stands on high, 
The other candles you may find thereby. 
Light that, I say, and so take up the pound 
Which you let fall, and scatter d on the ground. 



FOR YOUTH. 



COMPARISON. 



The fallen candles to us intimate 
The bulk of God's elect in their lapled state : 
Their lying scatter' d in the dark may be, 
To shew by man's lapled state his mifery. 

The candle that was taken down and lighted, 
Thereby to find them fallen and benighted, 
Is Jeius Chrift : God by His light doth gather 
Whom He will save, and be to them a Father. 




8o 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 



XXXVII. 

UPON A PENNY LOAF. 




HY price one penny is in time of plenty ; 
In famine doubled 'tis from one to twenty. 
Yea, no man knows what price on thee to set, 
When there is but one penny loaf to get. 




COMPARISON. 



The loaf's an emblem of the Word of God, 
A thing of low efteem $ before the rod 
Of famine smites the soul with fear of death I 
Rut then it is our all, our life, our breath. 



FOR YOUTH. 



S: 



XXXVIII. 
THE BOY AND WATCHMAKER. 




^ggjlHIS watch my father did on me beitow. 
J Eff ^ golden one it is, but 'twill not go, 
J*™! Unlets it be at an uncertainty : 
But as good none as one to tell a lie. 

When 'tis high day, my hand will stand at nine : 
I think there 's no man's watch so bad as mine. 
Sometimes 'tis sullen, 'twill not go at all, 
And yet 'twas never broke, nor had a fall. 

F 



&2 DIVINE EMBLEMS 



WATCHMAKER 

Your watch, though it be good, through want of skill 

May fail to do according to your will. 

Suppofe the balance-wheels and spring be good, 

And all things elfe, unlefs you underftood 

To manage it, as watches ought to be, 

Your watch will still be at uncertainty. 

Come, tell me, do you keep it from the dull, 

And wind it daily, that it may not raft ? 

Take heed, too, that you do not strain the spring ; 

You mull be circumspect in everything, 

Or elfe your watch will not exactly go, 

'Twill stand, or run too fall, or move too slow. 



COMPARISON. 

This boy refembles one that's turn'd from sin • 
His watch the curious work of grace within. 
The Watchmaker is Jefus Chrift our Lord, 
His counfel the directions of His Word ; 
Then, Convert, if thy heart be out of frame, 
Of this Watchmaker learn to mend the frame. 
Do not lay ope' thy heart to worldly dull, 
Nor let thy graces overgrow with raft ; 
But oft renew'd in th' spirit of thy mind, 
Or elfe uncertain thou thy watch wilt find. 



FOR YOUTH. 



S3 



XXXIX. 

UPON A LOOKING-GLASS. 





N this, see thou thy beauty, halt thou any ; 
Or thy defects, should they be few or many. 
Thou mayft/too, here thy spots and freckles 
see, 
Halt thou but eyes, and what their numbers be. 
But art thou blind ? There is no looking-glals 
Can shew thee thy defects, thy spots, or face. 



COMPARISON. 

Unto this glafs we may compare the Word, 
For that to man alliltance doth afford. 



84 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 



Has he a mind to know himfelf and state, 
To see what will be his eternal fate. 

But without eyes, alas ! how can he see ? 
Many that seem to look here, blind men be. 
This is the reafon they so often read 
Their judgment there, and do it nothing dread. 




FOR YOUTH. 



35 



XL. 

OF THE LOVE OF CHRIST. 




HE love of Chrift, poor I ! may touch upon : 
But 'tis unsearchable. Oh ! there is none 
Its large dimenfions can comprehend, 



Should they dilate thereon, world without end. 

When we had sinn'd, He in His zeal did swear, 
That He upon His back our sins would bear. 
And since to sin there is entailed death, 
He vow'd that for our sins He 'd lofe His breath. 



He did not only say, vow, or reiblve, 
But to aftoniihment did so involve 



86 DIVINE EMBLEMS 

Himfelf in man's diftrefs and mifery, 

As for and with him both to live and die. 

To His eternal fame in sacred story, 
We find that He did lay afide His glory, 
Stepp'd from the throne of higheft dignity, 
Became poor man, did in a manger lie 3 
Yea, was beholden upon His for bread, 
Had, of His own, not where to lay His head : 
Though rich, He did for us become thus poor, 
That He might make us rich for evermore. 

Yet this was but the leaf! of what He did 5 
But the outfide of what He suffered. 
God made His bleffed Son under the law ; 
Under the curfe, which, like the lion's paw, 
Did rend and tear His soul, for mankind's sin, 
More than if we for it in hell had been. 
His cries, His tears, and bloody agony, 
The nature of His death doth testify. 

Nor did He of constraint Himfelf thus give 

For sin to death, that man might with Him live. 

He did do what He did mofl willingly, 

He sung, and gave God thanks that He muft die. 

Did ever king die for a captive slave ? 

Yet such were we whom Jefus died to save. 

Yea, when He made Himfelf a sacrifice, 

It was that He might save His enemies. 



FOR YOUTH. 87 

And, though He was provoked to retract 

His bleft refolves to do so kind an act, 

By the abufive carriages of thoie 

That did both Him, His love, and grace oppoie : 

Yet He, as unconcern'd about such things, 

Goes on, determines to make captive kings : 

Yea, many of His murderers He takes 

Into His favour, and them princes makes. 




s& 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 



XLI. 
ON THE CACKLING OF A HEN. 





| HE Hen so soon as she an egg doth lay, 

(Spreads the fame of her doing what she may,) 
M About the yard a cackling she doth go, 
To tell what 'twas she at her neft did do. 

Juit thus it is with some profeffing men, 

If they do aught that's good ; they, like our hen, 

Cannot but cackle on 't where'er they go, 

And what their right hand doth their left muft know. 



FOR YOUTH. 



8 9 



XLII. 

UPOX AN HOUR-GLASS. 





HIS glafs when made, was by the workman's 

skill, 
The sum of sixty minutes to fulfil. 



Time, more nor leis, by it will out be spun, 
But jult an hour, and then the glafs is run. 

Mans life we will compare unto this glafs, 
The number of his months he cannot pais : 
But when he has accomplished his day, 
He, like a vapour, vaniflieth away. 



9° 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 



XLIII. 

UPON A SNAIL. 





HE goes but softly, but she goeth sure, 

She stumbles not, as stronger creatures 
do 5 

Her journey 's shorter, so she may endure 
Better than they which do much further go. 

She makes no noife, but stilly seizeth on 
The flower or herb appointed for her food 3 

The which she quietly doth feed upon, 

While others range and glare, but find no good. 



FOR YOUTH. 91 

And though she doth but very softly go, 

However slow her pace be, yet 'tis sure ; 
And certainly they that do travel so, 

The prize which they do aim at they procure. 

Although they seem not much to stir or go, 

Who third for Chrift, and who from wrath do flee ; 

Yet what they seek for quickly they come too, 
Though it doth seem the furthell off to be. 

One a£t of faith doth bring them to that flower 
They so long for, that they may eat and live ; 

Which to attain is not in other's power, 

Though for it a king's ranfom they would give. 

Then let none faint, nor be at all dismay' d, 
That life by Chrift do seek, they shall not fail 

To have it ; let them nothing be afraid ; 
The herb and flower are eaten by the snail. 




DIVINE EMBLEMS 



XLIV. 
OF THE SPOUSE OF CHRIST. 





HO 'S this that cometh from the wildernels, 

Like smoky pillars thus perfumed with myrrh, 
Leaning upon her dearefi: in diftrefs, 
Placed in His bofom by the Comforter ? 

She \s clothed with the sun, crown' d with twelve stars, 
The spotted moon her footflool she hath made ; 

The dragon her affaults, fills her with jars, 
Yet re its she under her Beloved's shade. 



FOR YOUTH. 

But whence was she ? What is her pedigree r 
Was not her father a poor Amorite ? 

What was her mother, but as others be, 
A Hittite sinful, poor, and helplefs quite. 

Yea, as for her, the day that she was born, 
As loathfome, out of doors they did her cait : 

Naked and filthy, stinking and forlorn ■ 
This was her pedigree from firft to laft. 

Nor was she pitied in this eftate, 

All let her lie polluted in her blood : 

None her condition did commiferate, 

There was no heart that sought to do her good. 

Yet she unto thefe ornaments is come, 

Her breafts are falhion'd, and her hair is grown : 

She is made heirefs of a heavenly home, 
All her indignities away are blown. 

Call out she was, but now she home is taken, 
Once she was naked, now you see she 's clad : 

Now made the darling, though before forsaken, 
Bare foot but now as princes' daughters shod. 

Inftead of filth, she now has her perfumes, 
Inflead of ignominy, chains of gold : 

Inftead of what the beauty moft consumes, 
Her beauty 's perfect, lovely to behold. 



94 DIVINE EMBLEMS 

Thofe that attend and wait upon her be 
Princes of honour clothed in white array ; 

Upon her head 's a crown of gold, and she 
Eats honey, wheat, and oil, from day to day. 

For her beloved, He *s the high'fl of all, 
The only Potentate, the King of kings : 

Angels and men do Him Jehovah call, 

And from Him life and glory always springs. 

He 's white and ruddy, and of all the chief; 

His head, His locks, His eyes, His hands, and feet, 
Do for completenefs outdo all belief, 

His cheeks like flowers are, His mouth moll sweet. 

As for His wealth, He is made heir of all, 
What is in heaven, what is in earth is His : 

And He this lady His joint heir doth call, 
Of all that shall be, or at prefent is. 

Well, lady, well, God has been good to thee ; 

Thou of an outcaft, now art made a queen. 
Few or none may with thee compared be, 

A beggar made thus high is seldom seen. 

Take heed of pride, remember what thou art 
By nature, though thou hall in grace a share, 

Thou in thyfelf doll yet retain a part 

Of thine own filthinefs : wherefore beware. 



FOR YOUTH. 



95 



XLV. 

UPON A SKILFUL PLAYER ON AN INSTRUMENT. 





E that can play well on an inftrument, 

Will take the ear, and captivate the mind 
$2$S5 With mirth or sadnefs, when it is intent ; 
And mufic into it a way doth find. 

But if one hears that hath therein no skill, 
(As often mufic lights of such a chance,) 

Of its brave notes they soon be weary will : 

And there are some can neither sing nor dance. 



96 DIVINE EMBLEMS 



COMPARISON. 

To him that thus moll skilfully doth play, 
God doth compare a gofpel-minifter, 

That doth with life and vigour preach and pray, 
Applying right what he doth there infer. 

Whether this man of wrath or grace doth preach, 
So skilfully he handles every word, 

And by his saying, doth the heart so reach, 
That it doth joy or sigh before the Lord. 

But some there be, which, as the brute doth lie 
Under the word, without the leaft advance : 

Such do defpife the gofpel miniftry ; 

They weep not at it, neither to it dance. 




FOR YOUTH. 



97 



XLVI. 
OF MAN BY NATURE. 





ROM God he 's a backflider, 
Of ways he loves the wider $ 
With wickednefs a sider, 
More venom than a spider. 

In sin he 's a confider, 
A make- bate and divider ; 
Blind reaibn is his guider, 
The devil is his rider. 



9 8 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 



XLVII. 

UPON THE DISOBEDIENT CHILD. 





|HILDREN, when little, how do they delight us i 
When they grow bigger, they begin to fright us. 
Their sinful nature prompts them to rebel, 
And to delight in paths that lead to hell. 
Their parents' love and care they overlook, 
As if relation had them quite forfook. 
They take the counfels of the wanton rather 
Than the mofl grave infrru&ions of a father. 
They reckon parents ought to do for them, 
Though they the fifth commandment do contemn. 



FOR YOUTH. 99 

They snap and snarl, if parents them control, 

Although in things moll hurtful to the soul ; 

They reckon they are mailers, and that we 

Who parents are should to them subject be ! 

If parents fain would have a hand in chooiing, 

The children have a heart still in refilling. 

They, by wrong doings, from their parents gather, 

And say it is no sin to rob a father. 

They '11 jollle parents out of place and power, 

They '11 make themselves the head, and them devour. 

How many children by becoming head 

Have brought their parents to a piece of bread ! 

Thus they who at the Hrfl were parents' joy, 

Turn that to bitternefs, themfelves deftroy. 

But, wretched child, how canfl thou thus requite 

Thy aged parents, for that great delight 

They took in thee, when thou as helplels lay 

In their indulgent bofoms day by day ? 

Thy mother, long before she brought thee forth, 

Took care thou shouldrl want neither food nor cloth. 

Thy father glad was at his very heart, 

Had he to thee a portion to impart. 

Comfort they promifed themfelves in thee, 

But thou, it seems, to them a grief will be. 

How oft, how willingly,, brake they their sleep, 

If thou, their bantling, didft but wince or weep ! 

Their love to thee was such, they could have given, 

That thou mightfl live, all but their part of heaven. 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 



But now, behold, how they rewarded are ! 

For their indulgent love and tender care, 

All is forgot, this love they do defpife. 

They brought this bird up to pick out their eyes. 




FOR YOUTH. 



IOI 



XLVIII. 
UPON A SHEET OF WHITE PAPER. 




JHIS paper's handled by the sons of men, 
I Both with the fairer! and the foulelt pen. 
i 'Twill alio shew what is upon it writ, 



Whether 'tis wifely done, or void of wit. 

Each blot and blur it alio will expofe 

To the next readers, be they friends or foes. 



COMPARISON. 

Some souls are like unto this blank or sheet, 

(Though not in whitenefs :) The next man thev meet, 



DIVINE EMBLEMS 

Be what he will, a good man or deluder, 
A knave or fool, the dangerous intruder 
May write thereon, to caufe that man to err, 
In doctrine or in life, with blot and blur. 
Nor will that soul conceal wherein it swerves, 
But shew itfelf to each one that obferves. 
A reading man may know who was the writer, 
And by the helliih nonfenfe the inditer. 




FOR YOUTH. 



XLIX. 
UPON THE FIRE. 




HO falls into the fire shall burn with heat, 
While thole remote scorn from it to retreat. 
Yea, while thole in it cry out, " Oh ! I burn/ 
Some further offthofe cries to laughter turn. 




COMPARISON. 

While some tormented are in hell for sin, 
On earth some greatly do delight therein. 
Yea, while some make it echo with their cry, 
Others count it a fable and a lie. 




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